I'm New and in Day 9...

[christiahall]

Hello! I have been 100% raw for 9 days now and plan to do it for at least 30 to see how I feel, through thick and thin. I feel strongly that if I am going to go raw, I will not have any questionable or unraw foods, especially not alcohol or coffee. I am doing great, and have been really creative with my recipes.

Q1)
I'm curious to know how long it took everyone before they starting getting more energy. I know everyone is differernt, and I was a red-meat, cookies and ice cream eater, and beer drinker, before I started.

Q2)
I feel good and have noticed a visible difference in my body and face already, but there is one thing I can't figure out: why do I feel constipated? I used to struggle with constipation and now have healthy regularity, as of the 9 days I've been on this diet. So... what could this pressure and feeling of constipation be caused from? Just curious if anyone else experienced a similar thing or if anyone had some insite as to what could be causing it.

Thanks all! I love this board.

[Noix_coco]

Hi Christia



There is one thing I can't figure out: why do I feel constipated? I used to struggle with constipation and now have healthy regularity, as of the 9 days I've been on this diet. So... what could this pressure and feeling of constipation be caused from? Just curious if anyone else experienced a similar thing or if anyone had some insite as to what could be causing it.I was about to post the same question but...on the opposite side! I eat raw since 4 days (fruits at 90% and vegetables) and I am having a light diarrhea!
I must say that before I was having diarrhea quite often also...

[christiahall]

Hi! I know I just started, but I have ready that it is totally normal to have the runs at first since your body needs to re-learn how to process this food. Also, I would consider a diet of 50% vegetables or more, 25% fruits, and 25% everything else (nuts, seeds, herbs, dried fruit, honey, etc.)

[Noix_coco]

Hi! I know I just started, but I have read that it is totally normal to have the runs at first since your body needs to re-learn how to process this food. Also, I would consider a diet of 50% vegetables or more, 25% fruits, and 25% everything else (nuts, seeds, herbs, dried fruit, honey, etc.)I am just eating what I can find immediately because I don't have a blender at the moment and no time to go and buy/prepare veggies. So I only ate fruits, carrots and some tomatoes. And raisins. I eat a bit of sunflower seeds but the rest here is probably not raw so I wait till I reach NZ to find real raw nuts and buy a blender + dehydrator because I find it monotonous to eat only fruits.

Also I just finished a book by Horne where he says that a fruitarian diet is probably the best for humans and explains why. Gandhi was a fruitarian. So I think one can probably make it only on fruits. But you're right, the body needs to adjust.

What about apples for you? They are said to be good against constipation if I am not wrong, carrots also, no?

[christiahall]

I have entered everything I ate on two random days into a website that automatically calculates the nutrients for you, and found that eating just fruit is extremely unbalanced, but when I ate about 60% veggies, 25% fruits, and 15% nuts, seeds, herbs, dried fruit (raisins), and celtic sea salt, that it all added up to almost perfect balance.

Also, a fruit-only diet would obviously cause a lot of sugar dependence issues and mood swings. Just because Ghandi ate something doesn't meat he was healthy.

[swingbolder]

Hi Christiahall,

Sometimes it can take the body time (a few weeks) to adjust to the increased fiber content of raw foods. In the meantime you get constipated. Drinking plenty of water should help with this.

As for the energy factor, it took me a good month or so before I stopped feeling tired. The body is using its energy for detox, that's why you're tired.

[Noix_coco]

I have entered everything I ate on two random days into a website that automatically calculates the nutrients for you,What is the URL?



and found that eating just fruit is extremely unbalanced, but when I ate about 60% veggies, 25% fruits, and 15% nuts, seeds, herbs, dried fruit (raisins), and celtic sea salt, that it all added up to almost perfect balance. You see, when I read this I feel like forgetting about all this and go back to a "normal" diet! Because in the book I read he demonstrates very well how a fruitarian diet is the best for human (in terms of protein and all, BTW I don't feel hungry with just fruits) and how bad salt is, even celtic sea salt! Who should I believe? I am not a scientific and it is difficult to see who's right or not! Because you got a LOT of fruitarian (not only Gandhi, of course) who claim to be healthy as well as a LOT of raw vegan etc...You never know till you reach an old age sometimes...I am quite puzzled and I must say...discouraged.


Also, a fruit-only diet would obviously cause a lot of sugar dependence issues and mood swings. The author also explained that it is not true...But I can't explain to you why here (too difficult, too long). He says notably that fruits are sweet because they are made to be eaten by humans, palatable. Not really vegetables (if you just eat them without any preparation like this, it can be quite insipid.). Also not a lot og veggies are naturally available to humans, it is humans who created them.

I don't mean to eat only fruits because I like variety, but I really feel confused with all those different points of view...

[PeachyMama]

I think just about all veggies and fruits have been tinkered with by man!

Everyone eventually finds their own way on this once they get clean enough to hear what their body is telling them. For me, it's to eat a good balance of fruit and veggies, and to limit my fats. For you, it might be something different.

[Noix_coco]

I think just about all veggies and fruits have been tinkered with by man!mmmmmmm not sure, fruits grow in the wild, but veggies don't...mostly


Everyone eventually finds their own way on this once they get clean enough to hear what their body is telling them. For me, it's to eat a good balance of fruit and veggies, and to limit my fats. For you, it might be something different.For sure! You're right. I've been thinking about it today, in my 5th day of raw eating. Today I felt like eating carrots like this (usually I don't like raw carrots) and I bought a lot of veggies too. Balancing...

[christiahall]

Hi Niox_Coco
I'm so sorry for discouraging you! I think you should do what feels right for your body! I think I am finding that I had hypoglycemic issues and shouldn't have as much fruit, but everyone is different. Also, I didn't mean to promote a diet that is different than what Alyssa teaches. I'm not sure what balance she promots, since I can't afford to by the book at this time. Please forgive me if I caused any negativity. Keep it up and listen to your body.

:)

[Noix_coco]

Hi Christiahall,

Don't worry, you're not discouraging me, not you, what annoys me is the different point of view everywhere. Because it's not only about doing what we feel is best for our own body, especially when we start, it's about doing what it's best on the long term. You see, I've got no weight to loose, no particular pb BUT one day I had a melanoma. That's not something you feel inside until the cancer is very big. I was feeling good and healthy. So I would like to do what's best for that in the future I have no pb. The book I read about cancer-proofing our body says no salt, more fruits. So when I read that salt is Ok I wonder to what extent it's OK.
mmm difficult to explain.
Anyway I am still 100% raw since 6 days now (if the sunflower seeds I'm eating are raw) and since yesterday I am eating more veggies, simply because I had the time to go and buy some!
How are you after almost one week?

[Nimmanu]

Regarding salt:

There are two different kinds of salt. 1 salt is table salt with or without iodine added. This salt is purified, denatured, sterile, and barren. This salt is the most basic form of salt, and it contains nothing else that will effect your body. This includes both "table salt," and many mainstream sea salts.

The second kind of salt is the type that has been minimally treated. Some sea salts, and most Himalayan salts. This kind of salt still contains minerals. This salt is quite good for you, because of the electrolytes.

Now, salt in and of itself is actually a MACRO nutrient for your body. It is not water that pushes your blood through your veins, it is salt. Water passes freely through the adjacent cells and back into the bloodstream. Your body does not make enough red and white blood cells for them to be what pushes blood through your body, plus the nature and consistency of those cells makes them far from ideal for the purpose.

Now, salt, on the other hand, is perfect for the purpose. Salt cannot be compressed, as can cells. It cannot be pushed into adjoining cells, as can water. The "carrier" of blood cells and water through your veins is salt.

This is why salt controls your blood pressure to a large degree. Too much salt? Too high of blood pressure.

But there is a little discussed flip side. Okay, a NEVER discussed flip side. Just as you can die from high blood pressure, you can die from low blood pressure, too. Extraordinarily few people know this. Salt is necessary for life.

I learned this as a result of passing out one day, and spending a week on the brink of death. My blood pressured dipped one day to 85/51. I hit the ground as my brain suddenly stopped receiving oxygen.

My blood pressure runs, on average, EVEN WHILE PREGNANT (a time notorious for high blood pressure).... 96/62. If my blood pressure were to get to 80/XX, I would die. I eat salt at every meal, I even take salt in a glass of water. Yet my blood pressure is so low that I live 16 points away from death all the time.

So the point is... if your body assimilates salt well, and you have high blood pressure, then you should listen to "don't take in excess salt," but if you live constantly on the brink of life-threatening low blood pressure.... then not eating salt can be suicide.

This is why, when it comes to salt, and particularly women and salt, one size does NOT fit all.

[RowanC]

Anyone with a particular opinion about diet can give you theirs and it seems they can always find 'science' to support it.

This tripped me up at first too. But for me the proof is in the pudding. Read all the success stories. Have you looked at Storm's website yet? He's been a raw foodist for 30 years! Yes, some people seem to have a few problems on a fruit diet or a raw diet, but a heck of a lot MORE people have problems on that SAD pyramid diet we've decided to leave! You simply MUST chock some results up to DNA and genetics; it has to be a part of the whole picture.

Each person has to find their own balance, their own successful form of this diet. All I know is that when I'm on it 100% or 99% (because I drink a cup of coffee every morning) I feel AMAZING! I have energy, my bloat goes away, my fibromyalgia disappears, my body is flexible, my bms are regular, my skin glows and is soft, and I look 10 years younger and my weight stabilizes.

NO OTHER DIET has done all of these things for me. So now, as another thread explains, I call this a lifestyle change rather than a diet.

Instead of reading material against raw foods, get Alissa's book and read it! Read Storm's website and look at his photos. He looks younger now than he did 30 years ago to me! Read all the success stories.

and if you're still afraid, then add a little cooked whole rice to your diet, or whatever YOU need to make you feel better. But first, please try going on 100% raw for 30 days.. the challenge... and THEN make a PERSONALLY informed decision.

Regarding the 'feeling' of constipation. I suspect you may have a hemmorhoid up inside. It will give you the feeling that there is something up there. Your new regularity may be aggravating it a bit and so you feel it. This is part of detox and it should disappear in a week or two. Just DO NOT strain, even if you feel "constipated" as long as you're having regular BMs. STRAINING will just make it larger and worse. Keep up the diet and see how it goes in a week or 2. You also might try sleeping with your thighs up on a pillow for a week or so and putting your feet up when possible.

Hang in there :)

[RowanC]

There are not many fruits which have not been altered by man on the shelves either.

The bananas you eat are only one variety which have been bred to be large and bland. Apples in their original state would be spat out by you, small and sour. Same with just about any other fruit I can think of except maybe some of the tropicals.

The fruitarian diet may work fine for some. If that makes you more comfortable, do it ::shrug:: as long as it's raw. I tend to eat more fruits myself and seem to do fine. Remember, many items we CALL vegetables are really fruits, like tomatoes and avocados.

I disagree with you that salt is harmful. Anything in excess is harmful, but humans and animals have eaten salt historically forever. It was so precious it was used as currency. Animals seek it out not because they reason, but because they need it and know it instinctively. I've seen cattle licking the salt from the rocks at the beach, and a cat or dog will lick your skin for the same reason. There are precious minerals in salt that are unavailable especially in today's fruit and vegetables (and water).

Also, be aware that anything grown in a hothouse under glass will not have the nutrients you will find in fruits/veggies grown in dirt.

Anyone can write and publish a book - just look at any health section of your bookstore - and for every book that teaches that salt is bad and the raw diet is dangerous, I can show you one that states just the opposite by a person with the same or higher degree of education.

[Noix_coco]

Hi all,

Very interesting to read your posts.

Regarding salt and what I read in this book, I remember the name now, it's called "Cancer-Proof your body" (pro-raw food BTW), the author said that one tea-spoon of fresh sea water everyday is enough to get all the minerals humans need. And if you consume seaweed regurlaly, that is probably enough salt. Maybe what he meant is that we usually eat too much salt. But of course we need salt like the cows and sheeps leak salt everyday. I didn't know about too low-pressure though!

I read a lot of great stories in this book, especially of people recovering from terminal cancers so I am already convinced that a change in a diet is what we need. I can't wait to buy Alissa's book but I need 2 more months (not available here and I am moving soon so can't order it).

The question I ask myself now is: Is somebody feeling great since 30 years may also face problems suddenly at 60 or 70? Because you may feel good but sometimes don't know what's happening inside. If I want to change my diet so drastically I want to maximise my chances NOT to have cancer anymore.

Ok now I'm going to have a look at this guy's website. Thanks for the info.

It's my 6th day today and my belly is not swollen anymore, but you're right, I feel haemorrhoids now. Just have to wait patiently to see the "miracle" after one month!